Clippers rout Raptors for sixth straight win

9 Dec 2012

20h02

updated at 20h11

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Jamal Crawford
led a fourth-quarter rally by the reserves with 16 points and the Los Angeles Clippers defeated Toronto 102-83 on Sunday to win
their sixth in a row
while handing the Raptors their 10th consecutive road loss.

Jamal Crawford #11 of the Los Angeles Clippers attempts a layup in front of Kyle Lowry #3 of the Toronto Raptors at Staples Center on December 9, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.

Photo: Getty Images

The backups gave the Clippers their first double-digit lead of the game after Toronto kept it close through the first three periods before dropping its fourth straight and 10th in its last 11. The Raptors have just
four wins this season
.

Blake Griffin
led the Clippers with 19 points.
Chris Paul
added 16 points and
DeAndre Jordan
had 10 rebounds.
Caron Butler
was the only starter to play in the fourth, coming in only after
Matt Barnes
was ejected with 1:36 to play.

Toronto's
DeMar DeRozan
scored 24 points in his hometown.
Linas Kleiza
, who started in place of injured
Mickael Pietrus
, added 17 points, including five 3-pointers.
Amir Johnson
had 11 points and 12 rebounds for Toronto.

Crawford's
streak of consecutive free throws ended at 58
when he missed two late in the second quarter for his first errant foul shots since Nov. 3.

Los Angeles outscored the Raptors 25-10 in the fourth, led by Bledsoe with 10 points. The Raptors managed one field goal over the final nine minutes.

Barnes and
John Lucas
tangled on the baseline and were called for double technicals after Crawford missed a 3-pointer. Referees dragged Barnes away and both players were ejected, bringing Butler back in.

Los Angeles led for much of a back-and-forth third, with its biggest margin of six points coming on a basket by Paul. The Raptors got timely 3-pointers from Kleiza and DeRozan, who had 11 points in the period. The Clippers were 9 of 15 from the free throw line.

The Clippers' second unit sparked a 15-11 stretch to start the second quarter and extend their lead to 40-32. Griffin, Paul and Jordan then returned only to be outscored 15-4, and Toronto carried a 47-44 lead into halftime. The Clippers shot just 36 percent in the half, when their largest lead was eight.

Los Angeles opened the game by outscoring the Raptors 17-10, but Toronto closed within four by the end of the first quarter.

10 photos

Los Angeles Clippers Blake Griffin slam dunks against the Toronto Raptors during their NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, California, December 9, 2012.